Companies like Lime and Bird are revolutionizing transportation in South Florida by offering electric scooter rentals throughout the area. But the city of Miami is pumping the brakes on the businesses – at least for now.
The city has received some nuisance complaints, such as scooter drivers taking over sidewalks. State law says scooters can’t be street legal unless cities regulate it.
“The city is really going to get a good handle on this one and we’re going to do it right,” said Commissioner Ken Russell. “It started out with the companies coming into the city first and now we’re having to play catch up.”
The scooter program is so popular; nearly 10,000 residents took 30,000 rides since June.
“People want this solution. It’s not for everybody, it’s not the only solution to our transit issues, but it’s something there is a demand for so it’s now our job to make sure we do it in a safe and appropriate way,” said Russell.
Next week, the Miami commission will hear from residents and companies so that everyone can enjoy the services.
“There are a lot of different ideas we need to bake into this to make sure we get it right. A lot of cities have gone through this and we’re trying to compile best practices,” said Russell.
